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Chinese Meet Isfahan Officials

In a meeting on Wednesday with the tourism authorities of Isfahan Province last week, Chinese investors expressed interest in developing the province’s tourism infrastructure.

Hamid Amini, the deputy for investment and planning at the provincial office of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, stressed the key position of Isfahan in Iran’s travel industry and provided an overview of the province’s current state of tourism, the Persian daily Donya-e-Eqtesad reported.

“We believe that with the growing number of tourists on the one hand and the government’s support on the other, conditions are ideal for the development of the sector,” said Amini, adding that provincial authorities are committed to contribute effectively to the process of tourist infrastructure development in the central province.

The director of the Chinese Tourism Development Company pointed to Iran’s economic growth, comparing it with China 30 years ago when it took a giant leap toward development after the lifting of US-imposed sanctions.

The meeting ended with investment packages, prepared by Isfahan’s ICHHTO office, presented to the Chinese visitors.

Isfahan is one of Iran’s top holiday destinations, drawing both domestic and foreign tourists in droves thanks to its myriad historical sites, which include Naqsh-e-Jahan and Jame’ Mosque, both UNESCO world heritage site.

One main challenge facing the province’s tourism industry is a severe lack of lodging facilities, with hotels and guesthouses all fully booked for over a year.

On average, about 250,000 foreigners visit Isfahan every year while the province’s top hotels hardly have a total of 600 rooms.